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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23707756">Fresh Start.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damien/pseuds/Harlow'>Harlow (Damien)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Twin Vale Apartments [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Working at an Amusement Park - Girl_from_the_crypt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Chronically Ill Nathan (Working at an Amusement Park), Gen, I may have only used so many character tags to help with wrangling, Slice of Life, Twin Vale Apartments</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:20:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23707756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damien/pseuds/Harlow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Leah needed to move out, and her friend Nathan needed a roommate after his last one left. Twin Vale Apartments seems like a good enough place, and she’s plenty happy to live with someone quiet. After work, she heads over with everything she could get out with, everything to her name, and she gets moved in.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Twin Vale Apartments [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fresh Start.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first contribution to the Twin Vales Apartment AU from the Cryptid Fuckers Support Discord server. We have pins for some relevant information, but please feel free to ask if you have any questions.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Parking her only slightly beat up sedan next to Nathan’s huge truck, Leah let out a sigh. It had been a long day, and it was only going to be longer. Paperwork was annoying on a good day, but at least it was just a lease amendment to add her to Nathan’s.</p><p>She checked her face in the mirror, wiping smudged lipstick off her teeth, and reapplied it. Her hair was a lost cause, frizzing from her sweat after chasing a wolf hound who tried to run out of the examination room. She had barely gotten her hands on him when it became obvious he was a stray, and had been for a long time. People always want a giant puppy until they grow into their paws. She hoped the flyers around the office might entice someone to adopt him, but she didn’t let herself think too hard on him. She needed her focus on the here and now, just in case.</p><p>She considered her scrub top, then shrugged. She had no reason to try to impress anyone, and today’s was a pattern of overlapping rainbow cats. She sighed, then turned off her car, shut the visor, and got out. As she locked the car, she noticed a somewhat familiar person pulling weeds from the flowerbeds, but she really just wanted to get this done. She could talk to him later.</p><p>Leah sent off a text to Nathan, then headed into the cooled office, the A/C blowing down her back as she walked in. “Whoa, that’s a little chilly…” she mumbled to herself, looking around.</p><p>A blonde guy, a bit older than her, popped up from under the desk holding a paperclip. “Gotta keep it cold in here, otherwise I get complaints.” he said, rolling his eyes. “I’m Dale, you must be Nate- Nathan’s new roommate, right?” he asked, sorting through the paperwork on his desk.</p><p>Leah stopped in front of one of the chairs, offering her hand. “Leah, and yes. Nathan should be on his way, I think.” She looked over her shoulder, back to the door, as if it’d make him appear.</p><p>Dale nodded, made a slightly uncomfortable face, then nodded again. “Yeah, cool, good to know. Before I fill out this paperwork, though, I’ve got a few questions. None of them are by my choice, so don’t worry.”</p><p>Leah, in fact, worried more, but kept it to herself. “I guess that’s fine?” she offered, her voice only slightly shaky.</p><p>Dale chuckled to himself, looking her in the eye. “Alright, first, how high, out of ten, would you consider yourself on the prude scale?” When she stared, looking like a deer in headlights rather than answering, he explained. “Some of our residents have more… liberal views on how much clothing is required in public areas, and at least one of our residents does something that could vaguely be considered sex work. We insist on respect here, for everyone, so we don’t rent to those that would find that problematic.”</p><p>Leah nodded, her eyebrows knit. “oh gosh, that’s fine, it’s none of my business as long as I’m not forced to watch. I thought you were gonna say it’s like…” she trailed off, looking at her hands and blushing, “Like a 'swinger's house’ or something. I’m like… a two or three, maybe?”</p><p>Dale smiled at her, trying to be reassuring, “Good, good. Do you have any objections to pets, children, pianos, the gay agenda, drinking, or vape clouds?”</p><p>Leah shook her head as Dale named off things, her expression twisting a little part way through. “Did you say the gay agenda?” At Dale’s shrug, she let out a laugh. “No way, obviously.”</p><p>Dale squinted at her, thinking. “Obviously,” he repeated. “Alright, do you have any food allergies? Anne asks me to ask everyone, since she’s always making something for the new residents.”</p><p>Leah shook her head, smiling. “Nothing like that, but I’m a big cinnamon person if that helps her?”</p><p>Nathan walked in, interrupting them, wrapped up tight in an oversized hoodie. He tucked his hands into his sleeves, settling in the other chair. “Alright, let’s get this done.”</p><p>Nathan initialed on the paperwork, signing it as Dale ran through the basic lease information and the same things she heard at every other place she’d ever rented from.</p><p>After a few minutes, though, it changed, becoming more specific to these apartments. “If you see a little girl wandering the halls and her uncle isn’t with her, have Nathan text Darius. The pool is open whenever you want to take a dip, but I’d recommend avoiding it between like.. 2 and 5AM. If Anne offers you any food, take it. She’s an amazing cook and she might cry if you refuse her too often. Keep up with any memos on the fridge, and try not to snub the landlady. She explodes if she feels slighted.”</p><p>Leah took the pen, signing and initialing next to the marks Dale made. “Alright, some of those are weird, but that’s probably fine.” She shook Dale’s hand, giving him a big smile. “Thanks, Dale, and it was so nice to meet you.”</p><p>Nathan sighed, forcing himself into a standing position. “Alright, I’ll wait for you by your car.” He walked out, visibly relaxing outside.</p><p>Dale dangled Leah’s keys on the tip of his finger, staring out the front window toward Nathan. He opened his mouth to say something, then just closed it. “Better not keep him waiting.”</p><p>Leah nodded, grabbing her keys. “Yeah, sorry, no idea what got into him.” She didn’t catch his expression, but she gave him an apologetic wave as she walked out, twirling her keys.</p><p> </p><p>Nathan leaned on her car, staring at his hands. He looked up when the car chimed to let him know it’s unlocked, and he loaded himself up with a stack of boxes to avoid talking. “Hey, get the door?” he asked, assuming Leah would. Laila held it instead, giving him a grunt. “Oh heck, Thanks Laila,” he said, shifting the weight so he could get in.</p><p>Leah started dumping boxes next to her car, wishing they were lighter. Setting down the last one, she saw the gardener again, heading over. Up close, he definitely looked familiar. The hat and cleft lip were familiar as hell, especially when he smiled at her. "Hey!” she yelled, shuffling her way out of the stack. She wrapped her arms around him, giggling. “Hey handsome, it’s ben so long! What, three years?”</p><p>He hesitated for a second, pulling her into a tighter hug. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember a cutie like you, but I’ll never turn down a hug.”</p><p>Leah pulled back, stumbling a little to put room between them. “Wait, are you not Colt?” Her eyes traced his lips, the curve of his jaw, his eyes, trying to pick out why he was different, other than the voice.</p><p>He winced a little, forcing on a slightly vacant smile. “No, I’m not Colt. He’s my twin.” He blinked, swallowing. “Was my twin, actually.” He offered a handshake, giving her a little more genuine of a smile. “Warin, and you are?”</p><p>Mitchell and Darius ran down the steps, Darius stopping to grab Leah’s hand and shake it. “Hey, we’re Nathan’s friends, I’m sure you’ve heard about us. I’m Darius, this gentleman with the rippling muscles stealing your boxes is Mitchell, and that’s our roommate, Warin.”</p><p>Warin brushed his hand off on his jeans like he didn’t just get the handshake he was offering stolen. “I was just saying hi, in fact.” He looked over the boxes, picking up the one labeled ‘books’. “So you’re Nathan’s roommate?” he asked, watching her grab the last few things.</p><p>Leah walked behind Warin, still blushing a lot. “Yeah, I work at Cryptics and Critters Veterinary Care, the big vet’s office? Nathan’s so good with horses and livestock. He’s how I met Colt, too…” She trailed off, barely noticing Warin’s spine straighten. “Shit, sorry, I’m not trying—“</p><p>Laila’s snicker and the sound of her lighter broke Leah’s train of thought. “Don’t mind Cowboy, he’s got a complex. Good luck here, though.” She took a hit, laughing when Leah coughed. “Oh, precious virgin lungs.”</p><p>The door slammed behind Leah and she rushed to follow Warin into the elevator, struggling not to put her foot in her mouth any more than she already had. “Just, sorry again.”</p><p>His jaw tightened and he stared at the door, bumping the “2” with the corner of the box. “Of course, it’s been years. It’s not that fresh, don’t worry.” He set the box outside 204 when the elevator let them out. “I’ll let you get to unpacking.”</p><p>Leah watched him unlock the door to 201 and not even look back, then heard him clear his throat. She stared toward the door, only stopped from doing something stupid by Nathan grabbing the box in front of her.</p><p>“I just had the dudes toss your stuff in your room. That’s fine, right?” he asked, getting her attention.</p><p>Leah shrugged, following Nathan inside rather than bothering Warin like she was debating. “Yeah, that’s fine,” she smiled at the guys when she saw them sorting out places to put things based on their labels. “Thanks, guys. I’m Leah, by the way?”</p><p>Darius gave her a smile, patted her arm, then looked back at Mitchell. “We’ll leave you to it, if you need anything, we’re just across the hall.”</p><p>Mitchell shook Leah’s hand after she set down her lamp, giving her a huge smile. “We’re great neighbors, except when Darius has a midterm meltdown. Med school is kicking his ass.” He chuckled, turning into a full laugh at Darius’s scoff coming from the front door.</p><p>Leah nodded, walking him out and locking the door behind him out of habit. “I feel like I’ve talked to like, 600 people today between work and moving in here,” she said to Nathan, tossing her gym bag onto the floor of her room and surveying the leftover furniture.</p><p>Nathan shrugged, letting out a little yawn. “That’s… like half of the neighbors, less than half actually.”</p><p>Leah let out a sigh, sounding world-weary and ready for a nap. “I’m gonna shower, make the futon up, then I’ll consider dealing with the other neighbors."</p><p>*</p><p>Leah sat on the futon in her room, towel still wrapped around her head, in her pajamas, trying to will herself to start going through the boxes around her room. She’d unpacked her clothes, the dresser’s plain wood fine enough for her. The futon was getting thrown at her first opportunity, but it’d be fine until pay day, with the plastic mattress cover keeping whatever might be on it from getting on her sheets.</p><p>The sound of Nathan gently tapping his fingers on her door spared her from bargaining with herself, and she called out to him. “Come on in,” then cleared her throat. “It’s still a wreck in here.”</p><p>He poked his head in, only cracking the door a little. “Some of our other neighbors are here, I think Anne enlisted help to bring enough food for us for a week.” He smiled weakly, looking exhausted, and Leah sprung up.</p><p>Brushing her thighs off, she debated putting on pants but laziness won out. She tugged at the bottom of her shorts to keep them as long as possible, then crossed, carefully, to the door. “Alright, alright, I’m coming.” She flipped the towel forward, drying her hair as she walked, and she only stubbed her toe once. She hung up her towel on the corner of her door. She followed Nathan toward their living room, stopping next to him when he leaned against the wall.</p><p>She looked over the three people on Nathan’s couch, then leaned her head towards his. “holy fuck that’s not a human,” she whispered to him, eyeing the emaciated giant perched awkwardly on the armrest and tapping at his phone. “You’re shitting me, right?”</p><p>Nathan snorted, but the tiny woman next to the strange creature hopped up to greet her before Nathan could respond. “I’m so glad to meet you! I’m Anne, I’m sure at least Nathan’s told you about me. I made you some gingersnaps as a welcome, and I made some stew because I had extra potatoes and carrots and I made some cornbread because it goes well with the stew, and I—“</p><p>The other woman talked over Anne, standing to put her hands on Anne’s shoulders. “Sweetie, stop, you’re gonna blow her brain out the back of her head.” She turned to Leah once Anne stopped talking, letting go of her roommate. “Sorry, Annie here is a big bundle of sunshine and rainbows, but she gets on a roll and…” She rolled her eyes, chuckling a little. “I’m Maxine, and that cryptid on your couch is Moth. He’s… Also a lot, but in completely different ways.” Moth chuckled, giving Leah a wide smile that sent a shiver down her spine, before he went back to his phone.</p><p>She stepped forward, shaking hands with Maxine and accepting a hug from Anne. “It’s nice to meet you, and thanks for the food?” she tried, eyeing the spread on their counter. “I haven’t eaten since lunch, and stew sounds amazing right now.”</p><p>Anne chattered at Leah a bit, even Maxine hushing her not stopping her. Moth shoved his hand into the pocket of his practically painted on jeans to tuck his phone away as he unfolded himself from the couch. He moved to loom over Anne, and she finally stopped talking to smile up at him. “Oopsie, have I been talking too long?” He nodded, and she giggled. “Oh, okay, we’ll leave you to it, then. Have a good night, Leah and Nathan! Oh, I wrote my number on a post-it for you, just in case, and don’t worry, you can text me whenever you need me!”</p><p>Leah nodded, walking them to the door. “Thank you again, and it’s really nice to meet all of you.” When the door closed, she turned to Nathan who had already started in on the stew and was groaning with delight. “Okay, so that guy’s like 15 feet tall, right? Anne looked like a toddler with him next to her.”</p><p>Nathan snorted, breaking into giggles. “He’s… at least six and a half feet tall? I’m guessing, nobody else around here is that tall. Anne’s like 5’ nothing, maybe shorter? Yeah, I don’t get it either.” He shoved another spoonful into his mouth, thinking. “I believe Moth is his legal name, by the way. His sister’s like, Hollyhock or Mulberry or something like that, I think? I’ve only ever seen her once. I’m a morning person, and I doubt she’s ever seen the sun unless it was from staying up all night.”</p><p>Leah giggled, taking her bowl down from the cabinet and filling it with the stew. It smelled amazing, filling the kitchen with the scent of spices and hard work. It was full of big pieces of veggies, and Leah sniffed at it. “This smells like it’s made with love and fairy magic.” She shoved the first spoonful in her mouth, and it was even better than she had expected. She groaned, the sound turning into a whine. “Why does Anne not live with us?” She asked around a mouthful.</p><p>Nathan struggled not to choke as he started laughing, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “I’m texting her that, she’ll love it.”</p><p>Leah shooed Nathan to go sit down, and she plated up a little bit of everything for each of them in between spoonfuls of the stew. She sat his plate in front of him, then tucked up in the recliner with hers. The TV was playing some sitcom rerun, and it felt comfortable, like her and Nathan were family instead of just friends turned roommates.</p><p>Leah chewed a mouthful of cornbread, trying to not make noises at how good it was. “I’m not really into girls, but I think I could make an exception for Anne if she’ll cook for me every day.”</p><p>Nathan busted out in laughter, snorting occasionally. “Oh gosh, yeah, I think I said the same thing when I first had her cooking. She’s really nice, too, unless you act like a jerk to Moth or his sister, she’s real protective of them.” He tapped at his phone with his free hand, giving Leah a tiny apologetic smile. “I’m telling her you want to keep her,” he whispered.</p><p>Leah rolled her eyes, her shoulders shaking as she tried not to laugh in case she swallowed wrong. “I’m totally keeping her. You, me, Anne, like 15 stray weirdos, maybe a dog or a horse or something, and all the food she can manage. Think the landlords would turn that down?”</p><p>Nathan looked up at her, trying to read her face. “Oh, just you wait until you meet them. Grace and Robert are…. Calling them a lot is polite, I guess? Everyone here can be intense, but Grace is a real Diva, like, a real, real Diva. She was in a ton of off-broadway shows back in her day, and was even an extra in some movies. She won’t let you forget.” He paused to shovel more food into his mouth, considering how to explain the landlord. “Robert’s…. He’s a doting husband, I guess. Kind of like a Mr. Rogers but with a potty mouth and a piano obsession. They’re both nice enough, unless you tell Grace you don’t care about whatever she’s talking about. I thought she was gonna stab Warin once, no lie.”</p><p>Leah set her food down, burying her face in her hands at the mention of their neighbor. “Oh fuck, Nate, I didn’t know Colt had a twin, or that he’d passed away. I thought I just hadn’t seen him in a while because he quit his job or something, not…. I think I hurt Warin.” She moved her hands from her bright red cheeks, letting out a sigh. “So much for first impressions, I guess.”</p><p>Nathan let out a long breath, shaking his head. “I forgot you knew Colt, to be completely honest. They were best friends from the womb, and I think Warin looked up to Colt. Warin wasn’t as athletic, as outgoing, as popular. He had a worse…” Nathan drew a slash over his own upper lip, looking a little uncomfortable. “And he acted like it made him a freak, and kids picked up on it. Colt was always protective, tried to get Warin involved, just a real great guy and real protective.”</p><p>Leah went back to eating, staying quiet until it was obvious Nathan wasn’t gonna continue. “I’m guessing that’s what Laila meant by Warin’s ‘complex’ then?”</p><p>He huffed out a breath, squeezing his spoon a little tighter. “She caught Warin crying after it happened, and she thought it was funny to see this big, broad, strong guy crying. He’s too much of a gentleman to have socked her in the jaw like the patient who broke her jaw the first time did, but she’d have so deserved it.” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “She’s a… b-i-t-c-h, there’s no way to put it otherwise.”</p><p>Leah snorted, trying not to break out into cackling at Nathan’s refusal to curse. “She seems it. She made fun of me for coughing when she blew smoke in my face, too.”</p><p>The conversation hit a lull as they worked toward finishing their plates, but it was a comfortable silence. Nathan yawned a few times, then gathered up his dishes and took them to the kitchen.</p><p>“Hey, Nathan,” Leah called out toward him. “Leave them for me. I’ll put everything away and do the dishes, it’s the least I can do to thank you.”</p><p>Nathan still rinsed them, leaving them in the sink. “Alright, if you insist. I’m ready to fall asleep in the shower as it is.” He gave her a smile, then turned toward the hallway. “I’ll see you in the morning, good night.”</p><p>Leah let him go, gathering up the dishes. She wrapped up the food and separated out some things into lunch for Nathan and her the next day. It was quiet in the building, except for some faint music coming from across the hall, and Leah relaxed. She sent off a text to thank Anne, then set to actually washing the dishes. It had been a long day, but she’d laughed more talking to Nathan than she could ever remember doing, and she felt giddy.</p><p>Her phone vibrated over and over as she washed up the few dishes, and she couldn’t help but start laughing again. Even in texting, Anne’s personality and conversation style still shined through. She dried her hands, opening the thread already full of emoji-filled messages, and she smiled. She felt so welcomed, it was enough to make her feel 50 pounds lighter.</p>
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